I'm Not Sick
by Literate
Summary: “I told you, Hikaru.” He sneezes, before wiping it on his sleeve, “I’m not sick.” And I frown, unconvinced. [Hikaru's POV.]


And I'm just randomly inspired to write this... I think I'm writing a Hikaru who's over obsessive about his brother. I love that though. -heartluffs-

Warning: ... One profanity? o.O Rated T for that one word, and T for Hikaru's... uh, _implications_. And hints of something more than brotherly love. Other than that, see Hikaru's abnormally observant POV.

Disclaimer: Do I really even have to put this? It's just a waste of a line...

_

* * *

I think Kaoru's sick._

I watch him, my eyes narrowing as he stared blankly at the board. My brows knit together.

_Is he okay?_

And then he looks at me-

"Of course, I'm okay!" he says cheerfully, patting me on the head. Kaoru pulled away from me, smiling, as he collects his books from the desk and almost drops one onto the floor.

I only frown as he half-stumbles, setting his hand against a wooden desk before taking it off, walking towards the door. His soft voice asks, softer than usual, casting a fleeting glance at me, "Coming?"

My frown is a thin line, before I sigh and follow.

I have no idea how it happens that he's sick and I'm not.

* * *

"_Hikaru."_

_He's annoyed; I know that, but I simply rub my face deeper into his shoulder. He tries to squirm away; I tighten my grip._

"_No," I chirp cheekily, nuzzling my head onto his bare skin. He pushes me away, well- attempts to. I shiver, the cold biting my skin as I pull him closer, sliding my leg discreetly between his, my arms set comfortably, grasping at his back._

'_Mmm, much warmer.' _

_My eyes slide close; if Kaoru thinks this position was awkward, he isn't showing it. In fact, he never does, I smile a little as I feel his warmth soothing my chilled skin._

"_Hikaru," he says sternly; I let out a half-mumble as I bring my eyes to look at his serious eyes, "Let go of me."_

"_Kaoru," I drawl, my eyes half-lidded, "I'm cold."_

"_Well, you're making me hot," he says, and I think he means it both ways regardless of the no-nonsense expression he's wearing. I loosen my grip, and he snatches the opportunity, and tears away from me, crawling off the bed. I watch him, with bored eyes as he suddenly throws something on me._

"_Oof!" It was big, and heavy, and very warm- "What-What is it?!"_

"_A quilt. Hug that. Now sleep."_

* * *

Hitachiin Kaoru is an A-student, placing fourth in the semester exams, just better than me. Adults regard him as half of the mischievous Hitachiin twins, one of the future heirs of the famous brand name, albeit the younger one. To the girls, he's the submissive one of the relationship. To our peers, he's the passive twin, the one that follows the other, the one who's nicer, the one who'd help whenever it's needed.

And to himself, Kaoru thinks he's flexible; he doesn't care _one way or the other._

Well.

To me, he's not.

He's stubborn.

_Very, very stubborn_- I think irritably, tapping my fingertips against the desktop.

_He's not admitting it_-

He's chatting amiably with some of our classmates, laughing. I watch as his hand raises to his face, and he rubs his nose, sniffing inaudibly. My eyes narrow; he drags his sleeve over his possibly wet nose, still smiling. I cough slightly-

"Kaoru," I stand from my desk, giving the two male classmates a slight glance, before sitting a glare on my twin. He takes this opportunity to blow his nose with a handkerchief that's he now is stuffing back into his pocket. My tone becomes slightly more deadly, "Kaoru."

"It's fine, it's fine," he waves at me airily, staring at a space above my head.

"You're sick; you're going to the infirmary." I put a hand on his shoulder; and he smiles, like he's out of it or something.

"I told you, Hikaru; I'm-" he sneezes, before wiping it on his sleeve, "I'm not sick."

I frown, unconvinced.

"Ask Haruhi," he gives me a peace sign, before glancing at her. He pokes her, repeatedly, enough for the girl to come out of her studying to look at us, "Haruhi, tell Hikaru to stop bothering me."

She raises a brow, looking between us, "Huh?"

"Haruhi!" he whines childishly, flopping onto her desk, messing up the notes that she had very carefully placed on the tabletop, "Hikaru's being annoying. Tell him to go away."

I glare at him, before retorting, "You're sick! Why would I 'go away'?"

_He's_ being annoying. Not me.

Haruhi looks innocently at me, like I'm the one being stubborn, "Hikaru, if Kaoru doesn't want to be bothered, don't bother him." With that, she immerses herself into the books again.

"See, Hikaru," he drawls, giving me a cheeky grin, "Stop pestering me."

I only grumble as I flop back onto my seat, _'Stupid stubborn annoying little twin brother, Kaoru.'_

* * *

"_I'm not sick. I'm totally fine, Hikaru."_

I study him for the rest of the day, watching, catching the little signs to use as evidence to prove against him-

Sixth period- he zones out and doesn't notice the teacher calling him ten times.

Seventh period- he sneezes in the middle of reading.

Eighth period- he falls asleep; just conked out suddenly.

Host Club-

"So…" I place one of my legs over the other, leaning against the couch. Kaoru leans against me, half on me, half off. "Believe me yet?"

He's not looking at me; instead, he just places his head against my chest, lying slightly awkwardly, as if he doesn't know whether to sleep onto the couch entirely or sit up. His eyes are drooping, and something falls from his nose.

Then, he blinks, and looks at me, as if he just noticed that I'm talking to him. He clears his voice, and it comes out slightly raspy, "No. It's nothing, Hikaru."

He stubbornly averts his eyes, as I adjust our position, placing my twin more comfortably on my lap.

"Do you want to go home? " I ask to the tentative silence, listening to his short breathes, before adding, "Host Club is over in two hours."

"N-No."

And it's blunt, to the point.

"I'm not sick. I'm totally fine."

And I look off somewhere else, my head pounding, as if glaring at Hani-senpai's cake would make everything better-

_Kaoru's an idiot._

_A very stubborn idiot._

* * *

He's feverish now, I'm sure.

The girls' squealing isn't doing any good for the both of us.

He's leaning on me more than usual, his eyes are more pained than empty, and his face is blazing crimson (and he's not even acting) and his breathes are heavy. I put a firm grip on his waist, pulling him onto me, and he merely lays onto me. Kaoru isn't protesting any more; he doesn't even look at me.

I run a hand through his sweat-drenched hair, before-

"Sorry, ladies," and they're watching him lie still, as I continue, "You can ask Kyouya to return your payments," I smile at them, as they take in the situation, "We're very sorry for today's inconvenience. Kaoru's just… sick."

I feel a slight tug on my sleeve, as he mumbles, "I'm not… sick," he breathes out, forcing himself to look at me, his usually lively amber eyes staring blankly at me, "I'm… just tired, Hikaru."

"_Very _tired," I repeat, fingering his wet strands of hair, while the girls stay put, watching this last piece of act unfold-

But this isn't an act.

"You're tired me out today," he complains, his words airy, light, his eyes not even focused on me, "You had to keep… bothering me…"

My left eye twitches.

"Kaoru, just go to sleep."

"No."

My eyes twitch again-

"That's it; I'm going to ask milord to let us off early today-"

"But I'm not sick," he repeats, unwavering, as he tries to sit upright. He smiles at me; but I know his normal spark -_Kaoru_- isn't there.

"I'm not sick, Hikaru… It's all in your head."

_But it's not._

His eyes close, and suddenly, he falls onto me-

"Kaoru?" I question, but he's on my lap- not making a sound save for his harsh breathing that he had been carefully hiding all this time- and then-

I move my hand frantically to touch his head-

"_**Shit**__**! He's burning!"**_

* * *

Kaoru is very stubborn; he might think he's selfless, others might think that he's selfless, but there's a point on the line in which 'being selfless' meshes with 'being selfish.'

I don't get why he has to worry me like this; I don't get why people 'understand' that concept while I can't even hope to comprehend the reasons behind his _'don't worry, I'm fine.'_

"Hi…karu?" a whisper, and I look at my twin. He meets my eyes, his voice weak, broken, "Where… am I?"

"Home," I answer sharply, and I see him recoil slightly. I cross my arms, "I called the chauffer to take us home when you fainted in the Host Club."

"But…" His voice is dry and I hand him the cup of water that the maids brought up. He takes several small sips on it before locking his amber eyes with me.

There's a flurry of emotion behind them but they're fleeting, and before long, he closes his eyes again, resting onto the pillow.

"Sorry," I just barely hear and I think-

_-for what?_

"Hikaru…" he says softly, like he's embarrassed, raising the sheets just enough to see over them, and looked apologetically at me, and I just blink-

"I think I'm sick."


End file.
